Bilateral Coordination

Bilateral coordination is the ability to use both sides of the body together in a controlled and organized manner. Bilateral coordination includes a variety of movements such as:

• Using the two sides of the body for the same action symmetrically (like using a rolling pin or jumping)

•  Using alternating or reciprocal movements (like crawling or climbing stairs)

•  Using the two sides of the body for different movements asymmetrically (cutting with scissors with one hand while holding the paper with the other)

• Using one side of the body to move and the other to stabilize (removing the lid from a jar with one hand and holding the jar still with the other).

Bilateral coordination is most commonly associated with the right and left sides of the body, but it also refers to the upper and lower parts of the body (pitching a baseball by keeping the lower body stable and rotating the trunk to “wind-up” and toss the ball).